June 18, 2001
Increase in Black denominational
workers signals 'new day' for SBC___
___NEW ORLEANS (BP)--An increase in the number of African-American denominational workers over the last year represents a significant accomplishment, said Sid Smith, executive director of the Black Southern Baptist Denominational Servants Network.
___"It's a new day in the Southern Baptist Convention," Smith told participants in the group's annual meeting June 10 in New Orleans.
___"The churches are doing this," noted Ken Weathersby, president of the network and manager of the African-American church multiplication unit at the North American Mission Board. "The churches are calling out the called. The conventions--state and national--are responding. They continue to employ increasing numbers of African Americans in strategic positions."
___Two African-Americans within the last year were named vice presidents of SBC agencies, and one was elected executive director of a state convention.
___Gary Frost was named vice president of NAMB's Strategic Focus Cities outreach--the agency's first African-American vice president. Lawrence Smith was named vice president of communications at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and also is the institution's first African-American vice president. Jeffrey Haggray was unanimously elected the first African -American executive director of the District of Columbia Baptist Convention June 4.
___Jim Culp, retiring this year as black church development division director with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, received the network's highest award, the Emmanuel McCall Award for outstanding service as a Southern Baptist denominational servant.
___James Gailliard, pastor of the Word Tabernacle Baptist Church in Philadelphia, received the Church Planter of the Year award. This year-old church has baptized more than 90 people. The congregation's membership totaled 192 on its June 1 anniversary.
___Others earning awards included Roy Cotton, Baptist General Convention of Texas; Roosevelt Morris, director of the new work department of the South Carolina Baptist Convention; Eugene Bryant, African-American church planting director for the Florida Baptist Convention; and Chris McNairy, a NAMB national missionary in the area of multihousing church planting.
___During a business session, a slate of officers for the next three-year term was unanimously elected. Roy Cotton of the BGCT staff was elected president. Roosevelt Morris of South Carolina was elected vice president. Eddie Jones of Oklahoma was elected secretary. Josh Smith of the Virgin Islands was elected treasurer. Victor Ketchens of New York was elected parliamentarian,
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